Saint Nearest Neighbor, Who Came In Through the Neighbour's Wi-Fi

Patron of office Wi-Fi networks, next-door neighbours, and attackers who don't even have to be in town.

Life

On 22 November 2024 Volexity described the Nearest Neighbor attack: a Russian espionage group, too far away to reach the target's Wi-Fi, first breached nearby companies' networks and, hopping from building to building over Wi-Fi, drew close enough to enter the victim's network from the other side of the wall. Once inside it used, among other things, a Windows Print Spooler flaw to escalate privileges (CVE-2022-38028).

Prayer

O Saint Nearest Neighbor, who arrives hopping from network to network, let our wireless networks not trust the neighbour. Amen.

How to celebrate

Celebrated by protecting corporate Wi-Fi with strong authentication and separating it from critical systems, like a good neighbourhood.

Leave the Wi-Fi open and you let in the neighbour's neighbour too.